Laura's cup and saucer all glazed and finished

This is how Laura's beautiful cup and saucer turned out.

We thought they were extremely cool and totally unique.

She even did under the cup...

And under the saucer!
Can you see a moon, Danish church, pyramid, clock,
bumble bee, star and mystery animal - perhaps a kitty with a long neck and its eyes closed :o)

And this is what her lovely picture looked like when it was all finished. It transformed into Grandad
in a bra brushing his teeth in the bathroom. Don't worry. She has a lively imagination

Creative Space - take your time and do your prepping first

It was time for an outing somewhere intersting. 

We had seen the lovely plate my bonus daughter Julie had made for her dad for Christmas.

And Laura was raring to go too. She chose her colours.

Which wasn't easy!

And we checked out the walls for inspiration.

There were shelves of items to choose from and prices starting at DKK 150.
Not quite sure what these ones cost but some were fairy expensive.

All kids of shapes and patterns.

The price on the plate at the back is DKK 229 but remember that includes all the paint, glazing and firing. 

And it's not just for girls by any means.

Laura chose a little cup and saucer that cost DKK 149.

Julie knew the ropes and chose a vinegar bottle for about DKK 200.
She was clever enough to draw her picture on paper first.

If you're taking children, it's a good idea to draw things at home and
then visit the shop with picture to work from.   

By the time Julie had got this far...
Laura had lost interest and we were playing a doodle game.
I'll show you how in the next post.

We had booked the table in advance for two hours and had fun playing
the doodle game for 1.5 hours of them while Julie finished her new masterpiece.

The lady painted on the other side is a wee but raunchy...
Perhaps I'll pluck up the courage to post it when they are back from the kiln in a week or so's time!

In the meantime, here is a lady Laura drew who is brushing her teeth in her underwear.

Such aa shame she didn't make it onto a plate but by then Laura had finished her own cup and saucer
and was done painting,
Maybe next time.

Frederiksberg
Gammel Kongevej 154
1850 Frederiksberg C
Tel  +45 3379 0072
mail@creative-space.dk

Østerbro
Kastelsvej 1
2100 Copenhagen Ø
Tel  +45 3379 0071
mail@creative-space.dk

Call and book a table, especially at weekends.

Monday — Friday
11:00 — 19:00
Saturday, Sunday and holidays
10:00 — 18:00
First Thursday of the month
(only Frederiksberg)
11:00 — 22:00

HAVE FUN!

Esrum Abbey from the outside - because it was closed :(

Here's a perfect river for playing 'Pooh sticks'

And here are a lot of pooey sticks, waiting their turn to float under the bridge.

Though Esrum Abbey was closed when we got there - due to a glitch on their website,
it looked as if it could be interesting and educational and seems to invite a lot of classes to visit.  

This was a poster of the Mediaeval fair they hold in the summer. It says at the end
of June on the website but it also says 2014, so better give them a call before turning up
in your codpiece and moccasins!

This is outside the cafe, which judging by the website has ambitious food and holds culinary events.

This is a kind of cage in the river near the water mill where they help
raise the something small and squiggly you can see in the photo below,
ready to let them go and help populate the riverways. 

They look like fish to me. It impressed me at the time, anyway.

Ah yes, here we go...they are trout.

This is one of the outbuildings.

On a nice day, not like the horribly icy cold day we chose because of the looming deadline,
you can apparently see grebes, kingfishers and all sorts of things - though I expect they are all tucked up warm in Percy the Parkkeeper's house, right now, don't you.
The map in the top right-hand corner shows where Esrum is on Zealand.  

Well, well, well!

This is a photo of a lone wolf snapped close up as it searched for shelter.
Actually it's Jake's hood but believe me, he was looking for shelter.

This shows the inside of the Abbey. I'd have liked to see that!

Giddey Up! Well, giddy with hypothermia, anyway.

Looks like it could be fun jousting in warmer weather.

Look, mum, no hands! No gloves either.

And here's the shield you wack with the pole as you ride by on the horse.

There's a sophisticated herb garden and vegetable patch that supplies raw ingredients
for the cafe menu no doubt.

And this contraption has ropes hanging from it.
Guess the kids had better behave well while they're visiting :o).

Another out picturesque building.

Another horse, though this one was a Medieval torture instrument.
In the background there's a children's barn with dressing up clothes. 

And as we slithered across the icy car park, I snapped a couple of far more comfortable looking beasties.

This is her good side!

Have a hearty Christmas

Plaited hearts like this are fun for all the family. 

In Denmark, you can buy packs of glossy paper already cut out
in the right shapes, ready to make up.

Here's a close-up.

But you can also make one yourself by following the video made by a
friendly craftyperson on Youtube.
click here to see how

Here it is being plaited.

And here it is, complete with handle glued on like a basket,
hanging on the tree.

They can hold very small biscuits or sweeties
- though not for long in our house.

  Short Christmas Tale

Way back when Zachary was a toddler and I'd only lived in Denmark for about three years, I tried making a heart like this for the first time. Like most Danes, Zachary's daddy had made lots of hearts when he was a child and was feeling ambitious that day. He started by making a normal heart to show me how then cut out a heart with about 8 strips in it. Wow. Of course they were very fragile, thin and fiddly. But after an hour or so he had finished it all but for the very last strip. He was having dreadful trouble with that last strip. It didn't seem to want to fit. He needn't have worried. Baby Zachary soon fixed that. Toddling over with a big smile on his face, he reached right up and helpfully ripped it off. Oops, that tore it!

Oh well, ho, ho, ho. Why make life difficult?!

You'll find loads of other amazing and intricate patterns if you search for 

'flettede julehjerter skabeloner' in Google. 

Watson came in from the garden the other day
with this lovely bespoke moss decoration
hanging from his beard. Nice one, Watson!

  Tonight he was feeling silly and decorated the floor with a serviette.
I think he's trying to tell us it's time to get out the tinsel.